of Jam Besaq and other stories......

Went for the first time this year to Bazar Ramadhan Jam Besaq. Went there once last year and kinda liked it. The food, the people, the smell and the noise. Its a myriad of events that reflects the true spirit of 1Malaysia. But this year, its different. Well, at least to me it is. The small are staller (spoonerism in action), the people are fewer (but managed to see a parade of manusia lembut membeli juadah), and the food? Hmmm after a few tunjuks by my wife, I am not impressed. And it seemed that the once a year spirit of intrepenuership is going down the drain. What I saw just now were only a few semangat Ramadhan retailers in action. Many of the stall operators are the current stall owners in the Jam Besaq foodcourt themselves. Are the rental too steep? Are the economic downturn playing its tricks to the others? Or there are just not enough money to be shared by the consumers in general? If the latter is the case, well, Dato' Seri Najib should be seriously looking at the possibility of handing out bonuses to the government servants like the good old days of Tun Mahathir's reign. According to the Mahathir's financial principles, if there are not enough money to be spent, hand out bonuses to trigger the economic CPR to make it alive. If I were to get a bonus, I'll spend it buying kuih, the kuih seller will use the same money to buy shoes, the shoes retailers will buy a few baju melayu, and the First Lady Boutiques owners will have to pay the corporate tax using that very money we spent and 28% (the current corporate tax rate) of it will go back to the government.... Why is it so easy, but nobody in the current government gets it? Why? Why?

post script: and a handsome amount of the said bonus will go to my students who are nice enough to go to 22, Persiaran Suasana 1, Harvard Suasana Resort this hari raya... he he he he...

Please don't feel cheated.....

After constant harassment by me, some of you might feel cheated for there are no new post for the last 4 nights. Please forgive me. Was in the thick of things. A few issues to be settled and a few catching ups to be done. Managed to clear some but still some screaming at my face even as I am blogging now. I am very remorseful now, because I have to stop abruptly. Will continue blogging for my own sake.......

post script: "shall I compare thee to a summers day? for thou art more temperate..."
perhaps I shall compare thee to a pay day............

Ibrahim di langgar todak........

It was the best of time, it was the worst of time,...... (chhheeeeeee......-better than "it was a dark and stormy night..) Went to school today expecting to be greeted by noises of young ladies and gentlemen catching up on everybody's whereabouts especially during the week long semester break. But what transpired surprised me. Only a handful (well not even a fingerful) turned up. Teachers Lounge was full. Overheard were stories about 'do you know that I bought this and where', 'our baju raya shopping trip was a complete disaster' and a sprinkle of 'my hubby kalau berbuka...'. As usual, the male teachers (silent minority) were very silent and brushed into oblivion by the lady teachers in the lounge. So I slipped myself out and wander through the brick blocks of Ibrahim. Simple task it may seem but seldom do I have a chance to do this. After 5 minutes of tip-toeing around the Form 4 and Form 5 blocks, I was not sure what was my feeling...... I don't know about happy or sad, sulky or glad but I am sure feeling very lonely.........

The Boat That Rocks.... (the review)....

After a painstaking effort to stay awake for the duration of the movie, the verdict; for the generations that grow up on a staple diet of The Beatles, The Kinks, The Wonders, Carpenters etc. you gotta run bro, run. Hurry cause the DVD is limited (at least until the officer of the Kementerian Perdagangan comes a calling...). For those who grows on Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Duran-Duran, Spandau Ballet (like yours truly he he he), hmmm you might like the wits and banters and reminisce of the songs that your brothers or fathers had been telling you about. For the post Nirvana generations until todays young adults, dont waste your money on this DVD. Go on and topup your credit instead. Its about a pirate radio station operated from a ship in the North Sea playing songs otherwise would not be heard on BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation - a distant cousin of our RTM). It tells us something about life, relationship, commitment, freedom and stuff that had been plaguing the generation. The nicest thing about it is the movie managed to do it without being too preachy..... hmmm if I could learn something from it will be great!
Well, one down, another movie to go..... Land of The Lost.....

Rearranging my puasa sleeping pattern....

Wow, managed to stay up after Subuh. Well done me! A bit of rescheduling is in order. Today is my last day of our semester break. Tomorrow will be a day in school, where I know most of my students will be absent in order to enjoy a prolonged holiday amalgamating the Merdeka holidays. Hmmmmm ..... If it is as easy to me as to you guys... Tapi tak boleh. I am earning my keeps. I am feeding my family with it so better make it barakah. I am having a writer's block now atau it has been a long time since morning without nescafe nih.

post script: Mdm Giry is a sympathetic foster mother of Christine Da'ei, she has heroic characters but I would suggest her to be in antagonistic supporting part. Why? Discuss later....

Two more days to go (of four to most...........)

Just came back from Jumaat. What a wet Jumaat it was. The Khatib managed to knock some sense in the thick skull of mine. How do I survive the whole day without it? Iman. And why do I succumb to pressure just a few minute after iftar? Nafsu. That plain and simple. Hmmmm... enough for my exterior monologue....
Spoken to a new friend this morning (if you could call facebooking speaking) and tried to talk her into blogging. She said that she fears none would read her blog. For one, I would. She also said that she would like her blog to help others. Blogging do help especially the blogger him/herself to release excrete of mind and soul. Its what jogging do to our body, blogging do to our mind. A wee bit of cleansing and to make your mind stays alert.
The worst case scenario is better to blog and help one, rather to not blog and help none. Does that make any sense?

post script: How is Madame Giry a bad person? Well, for one why did she bring Christine to the city? Ada udang di sebalik mee? Wow, very bad of me...... classic case of berburuk sangka sesama insan..

Just another day in Ramadhan....

Started the day just as the past few days.... Facebooking.... After zuhur went to SP with wifey. Bought some things for our house, bulbs, USB ports, some vegetables and fish (dried talang). Came back and continue where I left off ...... Facebooking...... This is a classic example of new broom sweeps clean...... atau in malay something about a fowl's excrete being at a certain temperature for a short period of time and all???? he he he. Bought 2 new DVD "The bota that rocked" and "Land of the Lost". Wifey laughed off with a good question of "When do you plan to watch those?" he he... If there's a will, there's a way.... See ya later...

What a berbuka it was......

Went back to Alor Star yesterday for berbuka. The kids were happy, I was as well.... Familiar faces, familiar food, familiar places and well.... familiar food. Even the mosque is a million times better. Was introduced to Forex. Downloaded the demo version. Now I am with 50k USD but in monopoly's money. Can spend but cannot use he he he.....

post script: cannot wait for the school to reopens....

Busy day at home.......

Woke up to the sound of nails being knocked over my head. Forgotten the date with our local handyman. Jamal was called to install hot shower in the bathroom, aircond in the living room, fix the leaking roof and some general handywork around the house. Boy was coming up with a very heavy fever. Menantu text me once, and no reply whatsoever after that.Hmmm.. deja vu. Nak tanya banyak, takut Abang marah. Did not go to mosque. Went to the clinic instead. Boy was diagnosed with a severe case of dehydration. Itulah... tak mahu dengar cakap bapak! Managed to complete our tarawikh at home and witir. With a little help from Abang. How proud I am of him. Turning up as a fine gentleman. Created a ruckus with 'bonus' comment on the facebook. How I wish. Now its quite late. The house is quite and serene. Hmmm, maybe I'll find someone in the facebook.... lol

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm....

I thought I was the only one who realized it, but his mom observed the same. Maybe, just may be he has a choice of his own and all the long face is a sign of retaliation... Intriguing me just to think about it.

Survived a day of Ramadan...

A very uneventful day of Ramadan today was. Woke up very late in the afternoon. Bought a new mowing machine. Tried out on our lawn. Verdict? Bolehlaaa..... Wifey cooked a decent meal for berbuka. A full set of Tarawikh followed. Wondered how menantu is doing..... Hope she's doing fine. Knew that she did not go for Tarawikh, why ? I don't know. But I am sure she did not. Offered my phone to Abang, but he passed. Wondered if everything goes well for both of them. Aiman is as usual hogging the computer from his brother. Boy is studying. Hmmmmm..... Very dull day to blog eh? Maybe tomorrow.......

First Ramadhan Night.....

Maybe its me or maybe not. My boys (Abang and Boy) looked somewhat distracted today. Wonder why. Went to the masjid for tarawikh just now. Full to the brim. Maybe semangat 'hot-hot chicken shit'. Or maybe h1n1 changed people's perspective on life. Wifey is reading, two children sleeping, Boy is studying and Abang is watching movie. Wondering how a house this full (six inhabitants) can be this quite.

Of 'Cuti', 'Ramadan' and Bally shoes....

Tomorrow is our semester break. One week respite from the usual hoolabaloos of cabbages and kinks. Will fetch Abang at his college. Boy is attending Add Maths extra class at Swiss Inn. Just came back from Surau Perwaja for wifey's school's bacaan yassin. Always find solitude and tranquility after such events. As if a new person each time Yassin is recited. Aiman and Ainul is having a ball with my laptop. So, tomorrow night Tarrawikh will start. Going to love it. A month of 'ibadah' at full speed..... For all my muslim followers, Selamat Menyambut Ramadan Mubarak. For others, happy holidays. My dearest students, please come back in one piece. And whatever happened to Bally shoes? I don't know.

For those who asked, this is how Maori 'salam', by pressing their nose against ours. When to their 'Marai' (Balairaya) and was greeted warmly in Rotorua. The photo was taken in 2004. Early 90s I was in the South Island, very few Maori...

A quiet day at school, a quite day at home....

Attended Kak Yah Kantin's 'kenduri doa selamat' this morning. Had to rush up to 1A4 the next minute. Girls and boys were doing their own things. Azreen lost her text books. The boys were practising their 'Sivik' drama or something. Adi came and went, he had an eye infection. Brought 2A3 and 2A1 to the library. Azra and friends were still discussing about their class trip. Helped anywhere I could. There's a girl in the class fooling around with my PDA. I lost all the numbers of Kementerian Pelajaran to enquire about my 'kenaikan Pangkat' or 'gaji' rather. Menantu came and went. After school, Boy stayed back for his Maths tuition. Went to lunch with Aiman. Wifey is still mad at me for playing 27 holes of golf yesterday. Well, it had been 23 days without golf, figured I earned it, but what the heck....Can't wait for Abang to come back this Friday. At least he'll understand.

post script: Aiman B was blushing when he got to know I read his blog. Hmmmm..... at least those were his honest words. Is that not what blogging is all about?

post post script: Lim Yi Hui hates Yee Kok Wei.......

Tomorrow, will be another day out.....

Tomorrow I'll be out. Wont be going to school. There's a Quadrangular Golf Tournament in Jitra, involving teams from Kedah, Perlis, Pulau Pinang and Perak. Ibrahim will be well represented. Eight golfers to be exact. Perhaps all in Form 1, 2 and 4. The Form 3 guys are busy with their trial. Tried to wriggle my way out but caught flatly by the Boss. Too tired to spend another 8 long hours under the hot sun. But as the saying goes "saya yang menurut perintah". Would rather spend my days with my students. At least we'll learn something from each other, I learn more about life from them than they from me. 2A1 was planning a class trip, hmmm... There would be plenty of anecdotes from them if the plan fall through. For me this is what school should be learn as much about life as you try to obtain good grades. Last tuition class for hostelites. Perhaps next year there would be more stress free, more informal classes with these bunch. Well, hope to write again soon.

post script: wonder what happened to 2A1's publication.....

Second post posted is a second

Hectic day at school again. Marking papers (hate it... do we judge someone on his or her grades???) How good is good and how bad is bad? Meeting (more like a lecture on what not to do...)Came home pretty late. Lately it has been one 12 hour day after another. Too tired to blog. See ya...

post script: Adi is absent today. I hope he is not thinking of leaving us.....

hmmmm my first post...

After constant harassment by my beloved students, decided to have my own blog. I want them to love me so I have to do things they love too... hmmmm does it make sense? I hope this helps...
Well, I tried twice to upload photos, but took too long a time.Not feeling well lately. Maybe its the 'rukun tetangga' duties I did twice a week, my sleep cycle suffers so much that I have not touched my golf set for 3 weeks already. Been eating out too many times lately, wife is having her semester exam so needed rest, hence my stomach has been acting on me for umpteenth time already. And work? hmmmm... where do I start? Hari Ko, Drama District level, State Level, Hari Anugerah, National Parliamentary Debate, monthly test, school fees, KAGUM ... all these within 2 months.... Only survive through an unconditional loving of my family and students. Love them very much. My wife and I will celebrate our 20th aniversarry this year. Abang is completing his foundation for Macquarry University in Penang, Boy is doing well in his study for SPM (at least thats what he told me). Aiman is having a steep learning curve especially socially and Ainul is creating less and less trouble in school (from my wife's information). My students are starting to open up to me. I hope they love me as much as I love them. Maybe my mom's gene is so thick in me that I am so passionate about my students that sometimes its to hard to bear when they did something that upsets me. I do not care much about curricullum, as long as they are brought up as a better person in this world. Exam results are very much over rated. So what id you missed a few A's from your strings of other A's. You are a servant of your God first, a child for your parents second, brother or sister for your siblings third, a member of your extended family fourth, a friend for your peers fifth. Being a student is at the most the sixth most important thing in your life. So act accordingly. A little drowsy now, will write again soon. Maybe this blog will not be read by anyone, but who cares.... I love life as it is.......